Saturday, February 25, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Carver Gym trophy cases are lined with GNAC championship trophies. Western Washington hopes it can earn another addition to the case on its home floor.

The Vikings secured back-to-back regular season championships with their win over Simon Fraser on Thursday and are the No. 1 seed for the GNAC Women’s Basketball Championships, presented by Under Armour, which begins Thursday at Carver Gym in Bellingham.

Ranked No. 12 in the latest D2SIDA Media Poll and No. 13 in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll, Western Washington earned the top spot and a first-round bye with a 16-2 conference record. With a 22-3 overall record, the Vikings clinched the regular-season trophy in the season finale on Thursday in an 87-63 win over Simon Fraser. Western Washington has gone 11-2 at home this season and enters the tournament having won seven of its last eight games.

Montana State Billings is the No. 2 seed and earns the other first-round bye. With a 15-4 conference record and 23-6 overall record, the Yellowjackets have won 12 of their last 14 games and were responsible for one of WWU’s two home losses, a 66-64 overtime decision on Feb. 16. Montana State Billings entered the final week of the regular season ranked No. 21 in the D2SIDA Media Poll and No. 22 in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll.

The Yellowjackets play in the semifinals on Friday against the winner of the first quarterfinal on Thursday before No. 3 seed Central Washington and No. 6 seed Simon Fraser. The Wildcats, who won the GNAC Championships in 2022, finished third in the regular-season standings at 12-6 (20-7 overall). Central Washington enters the tournament having won four of their last five games.

Simon Fraser secured the No. 6 seed and makes also makes its 12th consecutive GNAC Championships appearance. The Red Leafs enter the tournament with an 8-10 conference mark, 10-12 overall.

Western Washington plays its semifinal game on Friday against the winner of the quarterfinal between No. 4 seed Alaska Anchorage and No. 5 seed Seattle Pacific. The Seawolves won their last four games, including a 65-58 win at Montana State Billings on Saturday, to earn their 12th consecutive GNAC Championships appearance. Alaska Anchorage finished fourth in the regular-season standings at 10-8 (18-9 overall).

Seattle Pacific won five of its first six conference games to set the base for its return to the GNAC Championships. The Falcons took the No. 5 seed with a 9-9 conference record (14-12 overall) and snapped a two-game losing streak with Saturday’s 60-51 win over Alaska in Seattle.

Thursday’s first quarterfinal game between No. 3 seed Central Washington and No. 6 Simon Fraser begins at 5:15 p.m. The second game between No. 4 Alaska Anchorage and No. 5 Seattle Pacific will tip off at 7:30 p.m. Friday’s semifinal games will take place at 5:15 and 7:30 p.m. with the championship game being played on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

The winner of the GNAC Championships will receive the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championships.

The GNAC Women’s Basketball Championships are being held in conjunction with the GNAC Men’s Basketball Championships. The men’s side of the bracket commences on Thursday with quarterfinal matches at noon and 2:15 p.m. Tickets are on sale now by logging on to GNACtickets.com.

All games of the GNAC Basketball Championships will be live-streamed through the conference’s YouTube channel, GNAC.tv.

GNAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Presented By Under Armour
Mar. 2-4 at Carver Gym, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Wash.
Quarterfinals (Mar. 2)
No. 3 Central Washington vs. No. 6 Simon Fraser, 5:15 p.m.
No. 4 Alaska Anchorage vs. No. 5 Seattle Pacific, 7:30 p.m.

Semifinals (Mar. 3)
Central Washington/Simon Fraser winner vs. No. 2 Montana State Billings, 5:15 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage/Seattle Pacific winner vs. No. 1 Western Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Championship (Mar. 4)
Championship Game, 7:30 p.m.